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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22410349">The Usual Place</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterSine/pseuds/WriterSine'>WriterSine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Drabbles to Read in the Dark [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Azure Moon - Freeform, Drabble, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Friends With Benefits, Inn scene, Sylvain's a cad and a gentleman, Those Who Drabble in the Dark, Yes they get a private room for their sexy suppers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:54:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>501</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22410349</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterSine/pseuds/WriterSine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Our usual place is still around, Dorothea. Care to join me there later when everything quiets down?”</p><p>Dorothea's not sure if she should, it's been five years. Surely things have changed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dorothea Arnault/Sylvain Jose Gautier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Drabbles to Read in the Dark [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1593511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Those Who Drabble in the Dark</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Usual Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Those Who Drabble in the Dark on the Felannie Fever Discord. Last week's prompt: write and inn/tavern scene.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Even after five years of war, the private room in their usual place was just as Dorothea remembered it. Despite the fire in the fireplace, she didn't bother removing her cloak. Dorothea went to the window, passing the table set for two. Outside she had a view of Garreg Mach Monastery up on the hill. From this angle and distance it was hard to see the damage done by the imperial forces and neglect. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Should I even have come?</span>
  </em>
  <span> she wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was roused from her thoughts a few minutes later when she heard the sound of boots in the hall. The door opened and Sylvain entered. He caught sight of her and grinned. "Dorothea, you made it. Allow me help you with your cloak." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He came to stand behind her, so close she could smell the cool, winter air clinging to his clothes. His hands came to rest on her shoulders. Dorothea undid the clasp and Sylvain let the garment slide from her shoulders, his hands caressing her arms through the fabric.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Red and backless, as ever you know how to dress to impress, Dorothea," he said with an appreciative whistle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned and crossed her arms. "I noticed you grew your hair out, Sylvain," she said. "It suits you." Sylvain's hair had always been soft, but a little too short, for her liking, while they were in school.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sylvain took off his cloak and tossed both of them over the end of the bed. He brushed his bangs away from his face. “Truthfully I forgot to get it cut. But if you like it…Does it earn me points if say I did it with you in mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea chuckled in spite of herself. “Not when you put it like that. If you let me pull it, maybe I’ll change my mind.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clasped his hands behind his head and let out a thoughtful hum. “I don’t know. You might have to convince me over dinner, did you order for us already? The sly grin on his face belied his air of indecision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded. “They warned me it won’t be up to their usual standards. Things have been difficult for them, since the war.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sylvain sighed and let his hands drop to his sides. “Yeah, I noticed one of their windows was boarded up when I first rode through town. Must have been broken.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The one behind the drape?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded. “I asked you to dinner hoping a little Gautier patronage might help them out. And to see your beautiful self again, of course.” Sylvain winked and took her hand, raising it to his lips he kissed the first knuckle. “It’s been too long, Dorothea,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The softness in his tone made her heart flutter and ache. “I missed you, too, Sylvain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A knock came at the door, breaking the moment. Sylvain let go of her hand and stepped back, clearing his throat. Usual grin back in place, he called, “Come in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was time for dinner.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh man, this one was hard. I had to scrap the first 200 words when I actually got to what should be the beginning of the story. Still, I loved writing Dorothea and Sylvain. I've been wanting to write them as friends with benefits to lovers for a little while now and  this was a good test run. I definitely had a hard time keeping to the word limit because I want to write so much context and surrounding backstory. Hence, why it's being posted a week late.</p><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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